Yieldable traffic barrier



March 10, 1931. A. SPRUNG 1,795,621

Y-IELDABLE TRAFFIC BARRIER Filed May 2 1929 q INgENTOR BY w EATQQRNEY 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ABRAHAM SPRUNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MUNICIPAL STREET SIGN CO.,

INC., 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION OF NEXV YORK I 1 YIELDABLE TRAFFIC BARRIER Application. filed May 28,

This invention relates to safety devices as used todivert vehicular traiiic from restricted areas, safety zones and like localities where driving is interdicted.

Near the intersections of streets, on one or both of which are tracks for street cars, there are provided landing stations where the cars stop to receive and let off passengers who would be subjected to hazards while standing adjacent the track, except that the rule is that vehicles must pass outside a defined safety zone, sometimes marked at its ends by a single safety staff, with or without a light at night.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an efficient barrier for such safety areas, that is plainly visible and of such width as to effectively deter drivers from bringing vehicles into contact with it.

A further feature is in the provision of a sign bearing legends at the top of the supporting post, and also a plurality of brilliants on the barrier elements capable of reflecting the light from an approaching vehicle backward to the driver who is thus warned of its imminence, causing a detour or stoppage.

Another advantageous object is to arrange the wing-like side elements of the barrier in the manner of a pair of yiel-dable gates, pivoting 011 the post in either direction quite inclependently, and to provide means for their automatic return to normal extended position should either be displaced;

These important objects, together with others, such as a pleasing, graceful appearance, due to its symmetrical design, strength Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side vieW taken at a right angle to Figure 1 and showing one 1929. Serial No. 366,567.

of the gate elements swung into an inoperative position.

A block of concrete 10, preferably firmly embedded in the street in an appropriate position, has set centrallyin it an upright tubular post 11 to extend to a desirable height.

Mounted on top of the post is a legend bearing sign 12 held in a'frame 13 carried rigidly by a flanged plug 14 secured within the post forming an ornamental cap, the sign facing the direction of approaching traific.

Rigidly secured on the post, near its upper end is a ring 15 having a sinuous upper edge presenting at its front and rear diametrically opposed elevations 16, curved to blend smoothly into depressions 17 at the side edges of the ring and constituting a double inclined cam for purposes which later will be seen.

The gates are each constructed of a single tube bent to present a horizontal top bar 18-18 curved at its outer end to merge into an outwardly inclined strut member 19-19 curved at the bottom to merge into another hprizontal bar 20-20parallel with the bar 1 -18.

Fixed on the bar 18-18 is a T 21-21, a similar T 22-22 being secured on the lower bar, the center openings of the Ts being directed towards each other and set rigidly in these openings are upright tubular bars 23-23.

Secured to the bar 23 near its upper end is a ring 24 integrally connected with a band 25 loosely encircling the post 11 and at a point well above the bottom of the bar 23 is a similar ring 26 connecting with a band 27. On the opposite bar 23 a ring 24 is fixed, its connected band 25 encircling the post 11 at a spaced distance below the band 25. Similarly another ring 26 fixed on the bar 23 at its lower portion, carries a band 27 encircling the post Well below'the band 27 to permit relative movement, these rings and bands constituting hinges.

Carried at the inner ends of the bars 18-18 are rolls or circular plugs 28-28 resting on the curved cam ring 15, and in a similar manner screw plugs 29-29 are adjustable on the inner ends of the bars 20-20, these plugs presenting curved faces to contact the post 11 and may also rest upon a collar 30 fixed on the post above the block 10.

From the foregoing it will be understood that each of the gates is free to swing on the axis of the post without interference, being held freely butiirmly by thepairs of hinge elements 24=25,.adjusted by the'plugs 29.

It will also be apparent that due to the weight of each gate the rolls 2828 will seek =the d'el'n'essions 17 0f the support 'ring and by reason of gravity remain normally extended oppositely outward; however should either of the gates be struck a 'blow orbe pressed in either direction, .therolls 28-28 will ascend the inclined portions of the -track aring, 1 only to drop again by gravity when pressure is removed, thus racting-ina full y automatic:mannerand will continue to so operate irrespective of weather condi- 120 'tions; dust tor rust, iindefinitely.

Thus in case :either gate should :be struck by a passing vehicle inadvertently, or leaned =against,immedi ate recovery-takes place and as the foundation block \1() is large and high :enough to ward 01f the wheelsof a passing vehicle, no material damage is caused the gate structure under the most adverse circumstances.

vfIn -addition plates 30 may be at- ;no tached toithe gates, preferably on .the upper ;porti0ns-of'theelements 19-19-1and set in these plates area-plurality ofbrilliants 3i which-may be of various-colors and adapted to refiect'the lights from an approaching ver 5 -hicle,-.thus constituting an effective lighting 'means, whichrthey are-in practice, but it is 'obviousthat-another type ofrlighting means imay-be substituted audit is within thepossi- -vbilities ofithe' invention to attach: metal plates to the bars 18-20 should the skeleton structure described not beiregarded as suflicient.

,From the foregoing. it will be seen that a simple device for-this purpose has beendis- .elose'd inithe preferredform of its embodi- 445 ment,-but:it isl'not desired to restrict the details to the exact construction shown, it beingobvious that-changes, not involvingthe exercise=of invention, may be made without conflicting with thescope "of the appended cl-aims. v v 4 i Having thus described theinvention, what isolaimed as newand desiredto secure by :Letters .Patent, is

1. A traific barrier comprising a permanently fixedipost, normally opposed gates independently hinged to said post to swing in-either 'directiomanda single means com- ;pletely encircling the upper part of said post to return both of saidcgates to diametri- :callyopposed position after operation.

2. Aitrafiic barrier comprising a fixed post, -gates yieldaibl-y hingedto the post to norlmally extend in diametrically opposite directions, :a'cam surrounding theupper por- 5tion of saidpost common'to both gates,-and

rolls on said gates seated on said cam to return said gates to normal after yielding.

3. A traffic barrier comprising a rigid block, an upright post fixed therein, a pair of gates each independently hinged to said post, cooperative means fixedly surrounding metrically opposed positions and adjustable plugs set inthe lowermembers of said gates to contact said post.

5. A traffic barrier comprising a post, skeletongates having inreaching upper and lower ends provided with rolls, bars connecting between said ends, pairs of hinges fixed on said bars to engage said post,said

hinge pairs being in different horizontal planes, and a cam fixedto encircle said post having double undulating surfaces on which certain of said rolls are seated bygravity, whereby the gates are normally held in the path of traffic.

In testimony whereof I aiiix'my si nature.

ABRAHAM status. 

